Air hose support for cushion cars

ABSTRACT

An air hose support for cushion cars, to replace the conventional chain and S-hook support, comprising a rod member formed from a resiliently stretchable elastomeric material, such as polyurethane, having its ends each formed with a plurality of cross holes spaced longitudinally of the rod member for selectively receiving special connector elements to connect the rod member ends to existing coupler and glad hand supporting lugs. Each connector element is of one piece construction formed from a length of resiliently flexible but stiff wire to define a rectilinear loop, with one length end being straight and parallel to the loop throughout its length and the other length being similarly parallel and straight to an end portion which is at right angles to the first length end and is formed with a hooked portion into which the first length end is snapped to close the loop. The connectors are formed to be disposed in locking relation to the rod member end they are secured to when the support is in its operative position.

United States Patent [191 Chierici [5 AIR HOSE SUPPORT FOR CUSHION CARS [75] Inventor? Osvaldo F. Chierici, Elmhurst, Ill. 731 Assignees Holland Company, Elmhurst, I11. 22 Filed: May 8, 1972 21 App]. No.: 251,405

Primary ExaminerDrayton E. Hoffman Attorney Mann, Brown, McWilliams & Brodway 111 3,784,030 1 Jan. 8, 1974 [5 7] ABSTRACT An air hose support for cushion cars, to replace the conventional chain and S-hook support, comprising a rod member formed from a resiliently stretchable elastomeric material, such as polyurethane, having its ends each formed with a plurality of cross holes spaced longitudinally of the rod member for selectively receiving special connector elements to connect the rod member ends 'to existing coupler and glad hand supporting lugs. Each connector element is of one piece construction formed from a length of resiliently flexible but stifl wire to define a rectilinear loop, with one length end being straight and parallel to the loop throughout its length and the other length being similarly parallel and-straight to an end portion which is at right angles to .the first length end andis formed 7 with a hooked portion into which the first length end is snapped to close the loop. The connectors are formed to be disposed in locking relation to the rod member end they are secured to when the support is in its operative position.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 AIR IIOSE SUPPORT FOR CUSHION CARS This invention relates to an'air hose support for railroad cushion cars, and more particularly to a support for supporting the glad hands of cushion car trainline air hose at a predetermined elevation above the top of rail.

As is well-known in the railroad field, trainline connections between adjacent cars are effected by a hose extending from the angle cock of the car to a coupling device known as a glad hand, which is secured to the glad hand of the corresponding hose of the adjacent car. The so-called glad hands are arranged so that when two cars are to be uncoupled, the glad hands automatically separate as one car is pulled away from the other, under the tension that is applied to the coupled air hoses (assuming that the couplers at adjacent ends of the cars have been conditioned for uncoupling, in the usual manner). While unconnected glad hands must be at a specified elevation above the top of rail, air hoses of cars equipped with standard draft gear cushioning are sufficiently short so that their glad hands can hang free without violating these conditions.

However, railroad freight cars of the type equipped with cushion underframes or end of car cushioning (hereafter referred to as cushion cars) require added movement of the coupler longitudinally of the car, which means that the air hose length between the angle cock and the glad hand must be longer than cars equipped with only standard draft gear cushioning. The additional hose lengths involved have required that the glad hand be supported from the coupler so that the glad hands of uncoupled cars will not drag on the track.

The connection between the air hose glad hand and the coupler that supports same has conventionally been effected by using a length of chain equipped with an S- hook at each end of the chain, with the glad hand and the coupler being formed with lugs each defining a hole in whcih one end of the respective S-hooks is received, with the other ends of the hooks being applied to a convenient length of the chain. The ends of the S-hooks are then closed to prevent dislodgement by employing an appropriate hand tool.

A long standing problem that has been experienced in the railroad field in connection with cushion cars has been concerned with the fact that the conventional chain and S-hook air hose support all too frequently break at some point leaving the glad hand involved free to drag on the track, where it readily catches on switches and frogs, not infrequently causing derailments and other problems. Efforts have been made to remedy the situation by increasing the strength of the chain and S-hooks employed, but the general problem has still continued, as can be ascertained by inspection of recent AAR reports on this subject.

The Applicant in analyzing the problem has noted that the lengths of air hoses employed in cushion cars is usually such that when the air hoses of adjacent cars to be separated are tensioned for purposes of separating glad hands, the glad hand supports are subjected to severe tensioning stress, since they must be shorter than the air hoses they support to maintain the glad hands at the desired elevation of the top of rail.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an air hose support for cushion cars that maintains the glad hand at the desired height above rail, and yet permits the tensioning of the air hoses that is necessary to disconnect the glad hands, without overstressing the air hose support.

Another principal object of the invention is to provide a resiliently stretchable air hose support for cushtion between the air hose support and the glad hand and coupler lugs.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide an air hose support which requires no tools to apply, which provides for adjustability to accommodate different installment situations, and which is economical of manufacture, convenient to install and long lived in operation.

In accordance with this invention, the air hose support comprises a body of resiliently stretchable elastomeric material in rod form having its ends thickened and formed with cross holes spaced longitudinally of the support that are adapted to selectively receive a special one piece connector for attachment of the support ends to the coupler and glad hand lugs respectively in self locking relation thereto. The connectors are identical for each end of the support (and are thus interchangable), and comprise a length of resiliently flexible relatively stiff wire, formed to define a rectilinear loop, with one of the length ends being straight and parallel to the loop throughout its length, and the other length being similarly parallel and straight to an end portion which is at right angles to the first end and formed with a hook portion into which the first length is snapped to close the loop. The connectors are formed to be disposed in locking relation to the rod member end when the support is in its operative position.

Other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic end view of a railroad freight car, showing only the underframe, its coupler, and the air hose, in diagrammatic form, with the support of this invention connecting the air hose glad hand to the coupler; l

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the support without the connectors applied to same;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the connectors for securing the support in place, with the end of the support that is to be secured to the glad hand, and the glad hand lug, being shown in outline, and with the connector being shown in its load supporting position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the end of the support that is to be secured to the coupler, with the support end being partially shown in section and one of the connectors applied thereto and shown at an initial stage of application;

FIG. 5 is a view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 4, with the connector shown applied to the coupler support lug and positioned in its operative self locking relation with respect to the air hose support; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view substantially along line 66 of FIG. 5.

However, it is to be understood that the specific drawing illustrations provided are supplied primarily to comply with the requirements of the Patent Code, and that the invention may have other embodiments that will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and which are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Reference numeral of FIGQl generally indicates the underframe of a railroad car 12 having end sills 14 suitably fixed to center sill 16 which terminates in the usual bell mouth opening 18 at the end of the car. Suitably mounted in the center sill 16 is coupler 20 having a coupler head 22 equipped with the usual lug 24 for supporting the glad hand 26'of trainline air hose 28 from the coupler. The glad hand 26 is equipped with its own lug 30 for this purpose.

The coupler 20 illustrated is of the F interlocking type, but is intended to be representative of the various types of couplers equipped with a lug 24 or the like to which the upper end of a hose support may be secured. The coupler is assumed to be operably associated with a suitable end of car cushion type mechanism to provide the buff and draft cushioning movement that is associated with conventional end of car cushioning arrangements. While end of car cushioning is illustrated, cushion underframe cars, such as sliding sill cars, pres cut the same problems and general structural arrangement insofar as the glad hand support is concerned, and for convenience of reference cars equipped with end of car cushioning and cushion underframe cars are'herein referred to as cushion cars to distinguish them from cars equipped with only standard draft gear cushioning.

As already indicated, the air hose 28 of cushion cars is conventionally supported from the coupler lug 24 by a chain and S-hook type support, with one S-hook being applied between one end of the chain and the opening 32 of same, and the other end of the chain being connected to the glad hand by a second S-hook at that end, with the s-hook being secured to the opening 34 (see FIG. 3) of the glad hand lug 30. The S-hook ends are conventionally clamped shut on the chain and lugs by employing a suitable type of clamp device.

As has also be indicated, the air hose 28 of cushion cars has to be longer than cars equipped with standard draft gear cushioning to accommodate the additional buff and draft movement of the coupler 20, and for this reason the air hose glad hand .mustbe supported from the coupler 20 to maintain the glad hand when not engaged at the minimum above top of rail elevations that are required by AAR' and Department of Transportation Regulations. Hose 28 conventionally extends between the glad hand 26 and the usual angle cock (not shown) where it is connected to the air brake system of the car.

Reference numeral 40 generally indicates the air hose glad hand support of this invention, which comprises an elongate body or rod-member 42 formed from a suitable resiliently stretchable' elastomeric material, such as polyurethane. Body or rod member 42 is formed to define shank portion 45 of generally rounded cross-sectional configuration and opposite enlarged end portions 44 and 46 that are generally quadrilateral (rectangular or square) in cross-sectional configuration provided with rounded corners 47. End portion 44 is formed with a plurality of cross holes 48 while end portion 46 is formed with a plurality of cross holes 50, for the purpose of securing the body or rod member 42 to the coupler and glad hand lugs utilizing connectors 52 (see FIGS. 3 and 4), that are arranged in accordance with this invention.

The connectors 52 each are in the form of identical and interchangable retainer clips 51 each comprising a length 54 of filamentous material of a'suitable type,

such as a resiliently flexible relatively stiff wire, which is shaped to define a quadrilateral loop 56 defining a first rectilinear leg 58 extending parallelly of loop 56 and having right angled end portion 60 that terminates in angled arm portion 61, and a second leg 62 that is also rectilinear and extends generally parallelly of loop 56, but includes right angled end portion 64 which is angled normally of the leg 58 and is formed to define a hooked or doubled over terminal portion 66 adjacent its terminous 68 to define a locking indentation 70 into which the leg 58 may be snapped safety pin style (see FIG. 6).

The bight 72 of the loop 56 includes rectilinear portion 74 which extends perpendicular to the legs 58 and 62, and the angled portion 64 of leg 62 includes rectilinear portion 76 which likewise extends generally crosswise of the generally parallel portions 59 and 63 of legs 58 and 62.

The connector 52 may be formed from a suitable spring steel which preferably is galvanized or copper coated. The body or rod member 42 preferably has a durorneter lying in the range from about 60 to about 70 (it is in a commercial embodiment); while polyurethane of a suitable type is preferred for making the body or rod member 42, any suitable elastomeric material may be employed, such as one of the natural or synthetic rubbers. I

The connectors 52 are applied to the respective ends 44 and 46 by opening the connectors 52, which may be accomplished by grasping the loop 56 in one hand and grasping the end portion 60 of leg 58, and flexing the leg 58 with respect to the remainder of loop 56 as may be necessary to free the leg 58 from locking indentation 70. The end 60 of the leg 58 is then inserted into a convenient one of the openings 48 or 50 of the body or rod member 42 and leg 58 threaded therethrough to the position indicated in FIG. 4, after which the leg 58 is returned to the locked position by reversing the opening operation just described. On applying both connectors 52 to the body or rod member 42 in this manner, connectors 52 will be adequately secured thereto for shipment purposes. In this connection, it will be found by firmly gripping the loop 56in one hand and grasping the end portion 60 of leg 58 (which thus serves as a handle) with the other, and pressing it in the appropriate direction relative to locking indentation 70, the connector 52 may be readily flexed between locke and unlocked positions.

The support 40 is thus supplied with a connector 52 securely applied to each of its ends 44 and 46. On being applied to the car 10, the conventional support is removed, if it is present, and then the end 46 of body or rod member 42 is secured to the glad hand 46 by positioning the connector 52 so that its bight portion 74 is within or near the cross opening 50 to which it is applied (similar to the positioning indicated at FIG. 4 for the connector 52 at the other end of the body or rod member 42, or at right angles thereto), after which the connector 52 is opened and leg 58 threaded into the opening 34 of the glad hand lug- 30 to the point where the lug 30 will be within theloop 56, after which the connector 52 is closed. The connector 52 at the end 46 is then maneuvered to position the glad hand lug 30 at the bight portion 74 and the rectilinear portion 76 of leg 62 within the cross hole 50 that has been selected, with arm 61 of end portion 60 inserted in the next adjacent body cross opening 50.

The other end 44 of the body or rod member 42 is then applied to the coupler lug 24 utilizing a similar procedure, except that the connector 52 for the end 44 of the body or rod member 42 is re-applied, if necessary, to the cross opening 48 which will support the glad hand at the desired elevation above rail (as suggested by FIG. 5). As the holding or load supporting position of the upper connector 52 has the same orientation, with respect to the lug and support member that it is connected to, that the lower connector 52 does (compare FIGS. 3 and 5), the worker does this by appropriately positioning the upper connector 52 relatively to the support end 44, and holds its bight portion 74 in approximate alignment with the coupler lug opening 32 to estimate which cross opening 44 the connector 52 in question should be applied to to achieve the desired glad hand elevation abovetop of rail. When the cross opening 48 has been selected if it is different than the opening 48 to which the connector 52 is applied, the connector 52 is opened and removed and applied to the selected cross opening 48 of the body or rod member 42. The connector 52 on being located in the desired opening 48 is moved relative to the body or rod member 42 until its rectilinear portion 74 is disposed in or near the selected cross opening 48. The leg 58 is then threaded through the coupler lug opening 32 to dispose the lug 24 within the connector loop 56, after which the loop 56 is closed.

After the upper connector 52 has been closed, the support 40 is shifted to its operative position in which rectilinear portion 76 of leg 62 is disposed in the selected opening 48 and the arm 61 of same is fitted into the next adjacent body opening 48, with the connectors 52 then being oriented relative to the body or rod member 42 and the lugs they engage in the manner indicated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5.

In this connection it is to be noted that the end portion 66 ofleg 58 is so formed that when the connectors 52 are in their operating position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the loop leg 58 is held within the locking indentation 70 by the adjacent end portion of the body or rod member 42 (see FIG. 6).

More importantly, the connection between the clips 51 and the respective end portions of body or rod member 42 is at two points at each end portion, as both the angled end portions 60 and 64 have portions engaged with separate cross openings of the respective body member end portions. This spreads out the application of stresses causing tension in the body member, and provides an alternate connection to the body member for each clip in the unlikely event that one should fail.

When the car 10 is awaiting application to a train, the support 40 functions in the normal manner to support the free glad hand 26 at the desired elevation above rail. When the car 10 is connected into the train, the glad hand 26 is connected in the usual manner to its mate of the next adjacent car. When the car 10 is to be separated from the train, the coupler lock lifter (not shown) is appropriately maneuvered in the usual manner and the cars separated. The act of separating the cars tends to stretch out the hoses 28 so that the glad hands 26 will turn to their uncoupling positions, and

during this stretching out, the body or rod member 42 of the invention that is connected to the glad hand 26 in question stretches out to accommodate the movement of the glad hand 26 longitudinally of the track that is involved. When the glad hands release, the body or rod member 42 contracts to its original length under the resilient restorative forces that are built into same, and supports the glad handat the desired elevation above top of rail.

The support 40 provides a number of important advantages over the conventional chain and S-hook ar rangement.

For instance, the device 40 can ordinarily be applied to the car completely without any tools. The positioning of the connectors 52 in their operative positions of FIGS, 3 and 5 effects the locking of these devices, and the end portion of loop leg 58 serves as an adequate handle to open and close the connector, assuming it is held as described previously. The maneuvering of the conventional S-hooks requires some suitable form of clamp device to lock their ends closed, and when the S-hook ends are to be opened for removal of the conventional support, the difficulty in unbending the S- hook ends even with suitable hand tools usually results in the S-hooks either being burnt or cut off.

The body or rod member 42 is corrosion and abrasion resistant, has a low coefficient of friction, and has a lubric nature, which insures a long lived use. In being resiliently stretchable, it readily handles the tensions that are applied to same during the procedure of uncoupling the car to which the support 40 is attached.

As indicated in the drawings, the loop 56 is rectilinear in nature, and accommodates within its length a substantial portion of the end of the body or rod member with whichit is associated. Where the cross hole 48 selected for application of the connector 52 would leave too much of the extremity of the body or rod member end portion to be easily received within the loop 56, the extra amount may readily be trimmed off the rod member by using a suitable cutting implement, such as a pocket knife. I

While it is desired to have both ends 44 and 46 of the body or rod member 42 provided with a number of cross openings 48, it is preferred that the end, which is to be secured to the coupler lug, have the greater number of cross openings, and thus have a correspondingly longer enlargement to define the end 44, be at the upper end of the support, so that the greater range of adjustment is at the upper end of thesupport.

Connectors 52 are identicaland may thus be used interchangeably.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. In an air hose support for cushion cars, wherein the support is connected between openings formed in lugs carried by the coupler and the glad hand, to support the glad hand from the coupler at a predetermined elevation above top of rail, said hose support comprising:

a rod formed from a resiliently stretchable elastomeric material having each end of same formed to define a cross opening therethrough,

and means for releasably connecting the respective ends of said rod to the coupler and glad hand lug openings respectively,

said connecting means comprising a connector for each of said rod ends,

said connectors each comprising:

a length of filamentous resiliently flexible material formed to define an elongate loop of generally rectilinear configuration and having a first rectilinear leg terminating in an end portion that is in part aligned with said leg and a second rectilinear leg in substantial parallelism with said first leg and merging into an end portion at substantially right angles thereto that defines a rectilinear portion that is hooked adjacent its terminous to define a locking indentation therein into which said first leg may be snapped, 7

said legs being connected together by a bight portion including a rectilinear portion extending substantially at right angles to said legs, whereby the respective connectors may be applied to one of said rod ends and to a lug to which said rod one end is to be connected by threading said first leg of the connector through the cross opening at said rod one end and the lug opening, after which said connector first leg is snapped into said connector locking indentation to secure said rod end nd the lug on the connector, and then said connector is oriented to dispose its said second leg end portion rectilinear portion in said rod one end cross opening and its said bight'portion rectilinear portion in the. lug opening whereby the connector is in its load supporting position,

said second leg of said connectors being formed so that said locking indentation thereof is substantially closed over the first connector leg received therein by the rod end to which the respective connectors are secured, and said first legs of said connectors extend toward each other, in said load supporting position thereof.

2. The hose support set forth in claim 1 wherein:

one end of said rod is formed with a plurality of said cross openings in spaced apart relation lengthwise of said rod,

with the loop of said connectors being proportioned lengthwise thereof to receive between said second leg end portion rectilinear portion and the bight thereof the portion of the rod end between the terminous of the rod end and the cross opening through which the connector second leg end portion rectilinear portion isdisposed.

3. The hose support set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said end portions of said first legs of said connectors, at a position beyond said second leg end portions a distance on the order of the spacing between said cross openings, are angled for application to one of the cross openings whereby the connector applied to said one rod end may have two points of connection thereto.

4. The hose support set forth in claim 2 wherein:

the ends of said rod in the area of said cross openings thereof are of enlarged cross sectional configura tion.

5. The hose support set forth in claim 4 wherein:

the openings of said rod one end have their axes in substantial parallelism.

6. The hose support set forth in claim 1 wherein:

both ends of said rod are formed with a plurality of said cross openings in spaced apart relation lengthwise of said rod.

7. The hose support set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said end of said rod has more of said cross openings than the other end thereof for application to the coupler lug.

8. In an air hose support for cushion cars, wherein the support comprises a rod connected between openings formed in lugs carried by the coupler and the glad hand, to support he glad hand from the coupler at a predetermined elevation above top of rail, with the rod ends each having one or more cross holes formed therein, a connector device for connecting the rod to the coupler and glad hand lugs, said device comprising:

a length of filamentous resiliently flexible material formed to define an elongate loop of generally rectilinear configuration and having a first rectilinear leg terminating in an end portion that is in part 7 aligned with said leg and a second rectilinear leg in substantial parallelism with said first leg and merging into an end portion at substantially right angles thereto that defines a rectilinear portion that is hooked adjacent its terminous to define a locking indentation therein into which said first leg may be snapped,

said legs being connected together by a bight portion including a rectilinear portion extending substantially at right angles to said legs,

with said device being proportioned to be threaded through one of the rod end cross openings to dispose the device second leg end portion rectilinear portion in the one cross opening,

said end portions of said first leg of said connector,

at a position beyond said second leg end portion a distance on the order of the spacing between the cross openings at one end of the rod, are angled for application to one of the cross openings, whereby the connector may have two points of connection to the rod.

9. in an air hose support for cushion cars, wherein the support is connected between openings formed in lugs carried by the coupler and the glad hand, to support the glad hand from the coupler at a predetermined elevation above top of rail, said hose support comprising:

a rod formed from a resiliently stretchable elastomeric material having each end of same formed to define a plurality of cross openings therethrough,

said cross openings having a spacing at each rod end that is substantially equal longitudinally of said rod, and with the cross openings of each rod end being in parallelism,

and means for releasably connecting the respective ends of said rod to the coupler and glad hand lug openings respectively,

said connecting means comprising a connector for each of said rod ends,

said connectors each comprising:

a length of filamentous resiliently flexible material formed to define an elongate substantially planar loop of generally rectilinear configuration and having:

a first rectilinear leg terminating in an end portion that includes a first part aligned with said leg and a second part disposed normally of said leg and substantially aligned with-the plane of said loop,

and a second rectilinear leg in substantial parallelism with said first leg and merging into an end portion at substaantially right angles thereto that defines a rectilinear portion that is hooked adjacent its terminous to define a locking indentation therein into which saidfirst leg may be snapped,

said second part of said first leg end portion being in substantial parallelism with said second leg end portion rectilinear portion and being spaced apart substantially the spacing between said cross openings,

said legs being connected together by a bight portion including a rectilinear portion extending substantially at right angles to said legs,

whereby the respective conductors may be applied to one of said rod ends and a lug to which said rod one end is to be connected by threading said first leg of the connector through a selected cross opening at said rod one end and the lug opening, after which said connector first leg is snapped into said connector locking indentation to secure said rod end and the lug on the connector, and then said connector is oriented to dispose its said second leg end portion rectilinear portion in said rod selected cross opening with said second part of said first leg end portion disposed in the next adjacent cross opening spaced inwardly of said rod end, and the connector said bight portion rectilinear portion disposed in the lug opening whereby the connector is in its load supporting position, and in said load supporting position, said connector has a two point connection to said 253; UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,7 3 Dated January 8, 197

Inventofls) GHIERICI, osvAmo F.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

r u I v v .1

Column 7, line 22, and to a" should read -----a.nd a--;

Column 7, line 28, "nd" should be ---and---;

Column 8, line 11, "support he" should read ---support the---;

Column 9, line 3, "'substaantially"should be ----substantially----; r

Column 9, line 2L5, "conductors" should be ---connectors-- i Signed and sealed this 10th day of September 197 (SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON, JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. In an air hose support for cushion cars, wherein the support is connected between openings formed in lugs carried by the coupler and the glad hand, to support the glad hand from the coupler at a predetermined elevation above top of rail, said hose support comprising: a rod formed from a resiliently stretchable elastomeric material having each end of same formed to define a cross opening therethrough, and means for releasably connecting the respective ends of said rod to the coupler and glad hand lug openings respectively, said connecting means comprising a connector for each of said rod ends, said connectors each comprising: a length of filamentous resiliently flexible material formed to define an elongate loop of generally rectilinear configuration and having a first rectilinear leg terminating in an end portion that is in part aligned with said leg and a second rectilinear leg in substantial parallelism with said first leg and merging into an end portion at substantially right angles thereto that defines a rectilinear portion that is hooked adjacent its terminous to define a locking indentation therein into which said first leg may be snapped, said legs being connected together by a bight portion including a rectilinear portion extending substantially at right angles to said legs, whereby the respective connectors may be applied to one of said rod ends and to a lug to which said rod one end is to be connected by threading said first leg of the connector through the cross opening at said rod one end and the lug opening, after which said connector first leg is snapped into said connector locking indentation to secure said rod end nd the lug on the connector, and then said connector is oriented to dispose its said second leg end portion rectilinear portion in said rod one end cross opening and its said bight portion rectilinear portion in the lug opening whereby the connector is in its load supporting position, said second leg of said connectors being formed so that said locking indentation thereof is substantially closed over the first connector leg received therein by the rod end to which the respective connectors are secured, and said first legs of said connectors extend toward each other, in saId load supporting position thereof.
 2. The hose support set forth in claim 1 wherein: one end of said rod is formed with a plurality of said cross openings in spaced apart relation lengthwise of said rod, with the loop of said connectors being proportioned lengthwise thereof to receive between said second leg end portion rectilinear portion and the bight thereof the portion of the rod end between the terminous of the rod end and the cross opening through which the connector second leg end portion rectilinear portion is disposed.
 3. The hose support set forth in claim 2 wherein: said end portions of said first legs of said connectors, at a position beyond said second leg end portions a distance on the order of the spacing between said cross openings, are angled for application to one of the cross openings whereby the connector applied to said one rod end may have two points of connection thereto.
 4. The hose support set forth in claim 2 wherein: the ends of said rod in the area of said cross openings thereof are of enlarged cross sectional configuration.
 5. The hose support set forth in claim 4 wherein: the openings of said rod one end have their axes in substantial parallelism.
 6. The hose support set forth in claim 1 wherein: both ends of said rod are formed with a plurality of said cross openings in spaced apart relation lengthwise of said rod.
 7. The hose support set forth in claim 6 wherein: said end of said rod has more of said cross openings than the other end thereof for application to the coupler lug.
 8. In an air hose support for cushion cars, wherein the support comprises a rod connected between openings formed in lugs carried by the coupler and the glad hand, to support he glad hand from the coupler at a predetermined elevation above top of rail, with the rod ends each having one or more cross holes formed therein, a connector device for connecting the rod to the coupler and glad hand lugs, said device comprising: a length of filamentous resiliently flexible material formed to define an elongate loop of generally rectilinear configuration and having a first rectilinear leg terminating in an end portion that is in part aligned with said leg and a second rectilinear leg in substantial parallelism with said first leg and merging into an end portion at substantially right angles thereto that defines a rectilinear portion that is hooked adjacent its terminous to define a locking indentation therein into which said first leg may be snapped, said legs being connected together by a bight portion including a rectilinear portion extending substantially at right angles to said legs, with said device being proportioned to be threaded through one of the rod end cross openings to dispose the device second leg end portion rectilinear portion in the one cross opening, said end portions of said first leg of said connector, at a position beyond said second leg end portion a distance on the order of the spacing between the cross openings at one end of the rod, are angled for application to one of the cross openings, whereby the connector may have two points of connection to the rod.
 9. In an air hose support for cushion cars, wherein the support is connected between openings formed in lugs carried by the coupler and the glad hand, to support the glad hand from the coupler at a predetermined elevation above top of rail, said hose support comprising: a rod formed from a resiliently stretchable elastomeric material having each end of same formed to define a plurality of cross openings therethrough, said cross openings having a spacing at each rod end that is substantially equal longitudinally of said rod, and with the cross openings of each rod end being in parallelism, and means for releasably connecting the respective ends of said rod to the coupler and glad hand lug openings respectively, said connecting means comprising a connector for each of said rod ends, said connectoRs each comprising: a length of filamentous resiliently flexible material formed to define an elongate substantially planar loop of generally rectilinear configuration and having: a first rectilinear leg terminating in an end portion that includes a first part aligned with said leg and a second part disposed normally of said leg and substantially aligned with the plane of said loop, and a second rectilinear leg in substantial parallelism with said first leg and merging into an end portion at substaantially right angles thereto that defines a rectilinear portion that is hooked adjacent its terminous to define a locking indentation therein into which said first leg may be snapped, said second part of said first leg end portion being in substantial parallelism with said second leg end portion rectilinear portion and being spaced apart substantially the spacing between said cross openings, said legs being connected together by a bight portion including a rectilinear portion extending substantially at right angles to said legs, whereby the respective conductors may be applied to one of said rod ends and a lug to which said rod one end is to be connected by threading said first leg of the connector through a selected cross opening at said rod one end and the lug opening, after which said connector first leg is snapped into said connector locking indentation to secure said rod end and the lug on the connector, and then said connector is oriented to dispose its said second leg end portion rectilinear portion in said rod selected cross opening, with said second part of said first leg end portion disposed in the next adjacent cross opening spaced inwardly of said rod end, and the connector said bight portion rectilinear portion disposed in the lug opening whereby the connector is in its load supporting position, and in said load supporting position, said connector has a two point connection to said rod end. 